Defining a cohort of oligometastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients with improved clinical outcomes

Objectives To compare the clinical outcomes of oligometastatic versus widely metastatic NPC patients. Materials and Methods Retrospective review of 157 patients with metastatic NPC at a tertiary hospital was performed. Multivariate analysis was carried out to compare the overall and progression-free survival (OS and PFS) of these two cohorts of NPC patients. The number of organ involvement and discrete metastatic lesions associated with improved OS and PFS were ascertained. Results Patients with oligometastatic NPC (single organ, less than six discrete metastatic lesions) had a better median OS than patients with widespread metastasis (24.8 versus 12.8 months, P < .001). Similarly, the median PFS of oligometastatic NPC was better than that of polymetastatic NPC (11.7 versus 7.3 months, P < .001). Conclusion Single organ disease with less than six discrete lesions is a good indicator of limited metastatic load in NPC, and is associated with improved survival.